"I'm going to invite Judge Daft to occupy this convento," suggested
Violeta to Bishop Lonzello, a few days after he arrived.
"You will do nothing of the kind," replied the bishop. "It is a
little too much, you coming here and ordering us from the islands;
but, as if this was not sufficient, now you want us to give up our
dormitories. I may yield the land for the good of the church, but I
am not going to stand this individual insult from a stranger."
"Oh, be reasonable," persuaded the Jesuit. "I am doing it solely for
your good. You will get the rental for it, and a republic is never
niggardly in such matters. The convento is really the only suitable
building in Manila for the purpose, and we can use the tender of
it in cementing a very valuable pact. Depend on it, you will lose
nothing by it. Another thing"--
"Nombre de Dios! Is there anything else?"
"Of course there is. We must syndicate the friar lands."
"I do not understand."
"If the United States undertakes to deal with the friars as
individuals, it will be able to handle them to its notion. But by
combining the 1,500 owners in a syndicate where half a dozen have
the full control of things, we can dictate terms. You can see the
advantage of this. It is the modern way of doing business. You managed
the seizure of the churches well; now you must organize the friars
for purpose of selling their lands advantageously."
The two priests discussed the matter further, and though Lonzello
was bitter against the Jesuit and in his heart resented the new order
that was being installed, he saw the force of the arguments, and ere
long started on a trip through Luzon for the purpose of organizing
the syndicate. During his absence the Jesuit took occasion to tender
the convento to Judge Daft and to point out its superiority for the
private uses of the new officials. The argument was valid, because the
convento was the best residence property in Manila. The Jesuit went
further and offered not only the church property in Manila, but also
in Malalos and throughout all the Philippines. Judge Daft argued with
his conscience, against his inclination to have the use of the best,
and ultimately accepted the offer. With the American governor housed
in the convento where the Jesuit lived, meetings became informal and
frequent. The two drove together in the evenings along the Plaza de
Gotta. They played golf together of afternoons. They met and talked
as friends; and the papal nuncio constantly and persistently employed
the power of suggestion for developing his plan.
"I do not think we can elect you president short of eight to twelve
years, but it will come some day," he told Daft while at golf. Small
business is transacted in the shops, larger in offices, and the
greatest business of the world is forwarded at social gatherings and
in games.
"I supposed I was to be elected next week," suggested the governor,
facetiously.
"No, the people of America will probably demand a military man
first. There is such a one who begins to loom up as a possibility, and
he understands the situation thoroughly. Besides, he is not so timid
as the present president. The latter means well, but he will not act
until he is pushed into action, while in adopting new policies, such
as are coming up now, we need a bold man. You want to keep your eye
on Colonel Rosefield. We have had our eyes on him and he understands
it. We mean to see that he has a military record manufactured for him,
so he can run for president. After him comes Judge Daft."
"You Jesuits are too deep politicians for me."
"You will at least admit we are not dreamers, Judge. I am in earnest in
what I say. No man in the service in Cuba has received the advertising
so far that this Colonel Rosefield has had, and there is a reason for
it. He will emerge from the war the central hero of it all, even if we
have to make him the winner of a battle where he was not present. More
history is made by well circulated reports than there is by deeds."
The Judge laughed: "I wonder if you intend to circulate reports
about me."
"That depends. If you do justice by us, we will see to the advertising,
all right."
"What do you mean by justice?"
"Well, the Holy See is doing you inestimable service in withdrawing the
Spanish friars from the Philippines, because it is thus removing the
very source of the quarrel and enabling you to gain a world reputation
by accomplishing within a few years that which the Spanish government
failed to accomplish in three centuries. That is a good start toward
the presidency."
"It seems you have tricked me into payment for that service, which
I freely acknowledge, because you have used the order that those
in possession of church property shall be maintained in possession
of that property to your advantage, by seizing on all the property
before the American troops arrived on the scene."
"A mere act of justice. That property belonged to the holy church
before the schism took it away, and we have merely done to the schism
what it first did to us. This is, therefore, a mere act of reparation;
but we are not ungrateful to you that you have made it possible."
The judge was secretly troubled at the part he had played. It was not
in accord with his conception of right. But he readily saw that it
was good politics, played for him by a power he did not understand. He
ventured to say:
"I wish to do exact justice by you, and no more."
"We shall ask no more. In a sense the church in general has had
reparation; but what about the friars?"
"I do not understand."
"His holiness, the Pope, can not banish them and thus leave the
field clear for you, unless they can be remunerated for the lands
they hold--not the churches, which belong to Rome, but the lands,
which belong to the friars. It is a matter of justice to pay them for
their property, and it would be of inestimable benefit to the United
States to get rid of this troublesome element."
"I understand the ground on which these churches were built belonged
to the Spanish government, and that the government contributed
considerable cash besides toward their erection. This being the case,
the churches will belong to the United States after we shall have
acquired the Philippines, and you would owe the federal government
for them."
"If the Spanish government gave the lands and donations to the church
they ceased to belong to Spain. You Americans would not claim again
land that had been patented to settlers. The churches belong to
Rome, where all titles to church property are vested. You will have
to settle with Rome for them. The land belongs to the friars, who,
as agents of Spain, developed the country and paid for the land. You
will have to settle with the friars for them if you would banish that
troublesome element."
"The Malalos convention declared them fortified to the Philippine
republic."
"Can you recognize that republic? You know you dare not do it."
Daft understood that; after a pause he inquired.
"What are the lands worth?"
"They have not been appraised, but I would estimate their value at
from twelve to fifteen millions of American money."
"It seems to me pretty high."
"On the contrary, it is reasonable, considering the cost it would be
to America to settle the trouble with the friars still here."
"It seems to me you are faring pretty well, considering that you have
restored to you the churches that were in revolt."
"You will win with the friars gone, but there are a number of things
that will have to be settled by arbitration after the war is over. You
must act as America's representative to the Pope."
Judge Daft started back in astonishment.
"It is impossible. It is against the policy of the United States to
recognize the temporal power of the Pope by sending an ambassador to
the Vatican."
"Nonsense. This war will make it necessary. You may disguise him
under the name of agent, if you will, but a representative will
become a necessity. It would be a big thing for you to be that
representative. You must have your picture taken with the Pope."
The boldness of the declaration again startled Judge Daft.
"You do not know the temper of the American people. They would not
stand for it."
"It would give you two million Catholic votes and make your election
as president an assured thing. It is big politics we are playing
these days, and you might as well be in on it as anyone."
"But can you make good?"
"Didn't your national chairman declare that the only power that
could save America from Socialism was the Catholic church? Did not
the Catholic vote go to your present national executive, for the
first time in history that the republican party got that vote? You
are asked only to follow the policy set by your party, and to reap
the result in honors and power. Why do you suppose the head of the
church deserted Spain in this war, when Spain is a Catholic country,
and has been on the side of the Protestant United States, if he did not
expect recognition of his services? Do you not suppose we understood
from the time the Maine was blown up that the people might be aroused
to start this war? The hierarchy is hereafter to be a dominating
power in America, and you are to be president. It is a big thought,
and you must think over it, Judge."
The Judge did think over it and the apostolic nuncio kept from his
presence several days in order to give him opportunity to ponder the
subject. When next the two men met the chastened attitude of Judge
Daft and his evident desire to be agreeable was to the discerning
Jesuit ample proof that the leaven was working.
"I do not know," he added to himself, "but that the fine, bold
material we are getting on our side may necessitate the removal of
the good-hearted old man who rules but fears to move. We dare not
wait too long when plans are ripe and boldness is necessary."